OLMAT

The OLMAT (Optimization of Liquid Metal Targets) facility at the Laboratorio Nacional de Fusión is aimed at testing LM (Liquid Metal) prototypes under DEMO-relevant heat loads .

CAD design of OLMAT. (a) irradiation chamber; (b) valve to NBI; (c) valve to TJ-II; (d) pre-chamber for sample loading; (e) sample insertion system; (f) upper turbopump with liquid metal condensation bafflers; (g) BaF2 optical window for infrared thermography; (h) diagnostic ports and windows.

It is based on the use of the neutral beam injectors (NBI) of the TJ-II stellarator for the irradiation of LM targets (mainly CPS) at DEMO-relevant powers. The characteristics of the NBI beam are adequate for the simulation of steady state and slow transient powers (10–20 MW m⁻²) including vapour shielding and fatigue studies. Moreover, the NBI beam is wide enough to irradiate large samples (<20 cm diameter), allowing redeposition studies of the eroded and evaporated material. In a second stage of the project a Q-CW, high-power fibre laser is used to simulate ELM-like powers in a small area, or the strike point power deposition profile.

The OLMAT facility and TJ-II